A bit of help for a complete novice
12-14-2009, 11:55 AM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 6
Greetings and Merry Christmas :)
I'm here hoping to get a bit of advice on a project I am working on for her mother.
Five years ago my mother's grandmother (my great-grandmother) was tragically killed outside of her home. She was very dear to the entire family - a 'matriarch' of sorts. This wonderful woman was known for her giving spirit, as she helped teach adults how to read and often made and donated quilts to the needy.
She left an unfinished quilt when she passed, and my mother claimed it and has kept it hidden away, wanting to finish it but never finding the time or skill to do so.
This christmas it is my hope to finish this final quilt for my mother. Here's the trick - I am an experianced seamstress, but have never sewn a quilt. It appears to be entirly pieced together (it is a very simple design) and has batting and a 'backing fabric' all pinned together. It is still in the center of her quilt stretcher, and she appears to have just started quilting. Here are my questions:
From the photos, is that her intent on quilting, or is it basting? the stitches seem very small but also very far apart. Is that how quilting stitches are?
Would you guess that I should continue tracing along the length of the pieces and then also the height? Should I do any other quilting? I wish she were here so I could ask her what she intended!
Any suggestions on binding?
Do you start in the center and move in any specific direction?
I'm so sorry for all the novice questions, but I'm sure you understand the importance of this project. Thank you all for your help, and I promise to keep you updated.
I'm here hoping to get a bit of advice on a project I am working on for her mother.
Five years ago my mother's grandmother (my great-grandmother) was tragically killed outside of her home. She was very dear to the entire family - a 'matriarch' of sorts. This wonderful woman was known for her giving spirit, as she helped teach adults how to read and often made and donated quilts to the needy.
She left an unfinished quilt when she passed, and my mother claimed it and has kept it hidden away, wanting to finish it but never finding the time or skill to do so.
This christmas it is my hope to finish this final quilt for my mother. Here's the trick - I am an experianced seamstress, but have never sewn a quilt. It appears to be entirly pieced together (it is a very simple design) and has batting and a 'backing fabric' all pinned together. It is still in the center of her quilt stretcher, and she appears to have just started quilting. Here are my questions:
From the photos, is that her intent on quilting, or is it basting? the stitches seem very small but also very far apart. Is that how quilting stitches are?
Would you guess that I should continue tracing along the length of the pieces and then also the height? Should I do any other quilting? I wish she were here so I could ask her what she intended!
Any suggestions on binding?
Do you start in the center and move in any specific direction?
I'm so sorry for all the novice questions, but I'm sure you understand the importance of this project. Thank you all for your help, and I promise to keep you updated.
12-14-2009, 12:08 PM
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Idaho Falls
Posts: 1,907
Wow, what a treasure!!! I'm sorry to hear about your great-grandmother. What a tragedy. And yet how wonderful that you are willing to try and finish her quilt. It will truly become a treasured heirloom!
They look like basting stitches to me. My question is, do you want to hand quilt it or machine quilt it. If you want to machine quilt it, you can use a walking foot to stitch in the ditch (following the seam lines exactly) or you can stitch on the diagonal (making the quilt stitches from one corner to the opposite corner) or you can stitch 1/4-inch from all the seam lines. If you want to hand quilt it, there are some tutorials out there that can really help.
I'm running a bit behind and have to head off to work but I know others will post and give you great advice! Good luck with it and if you feel you cannot do it, perhaps someone nearby who quilts would be willing to finish it for you.
They look like basting stitches to me. My question is, do you want to hand quilt it or machine quilt it. If you want to machine quilt it, you can use a walking foot to stitch in the ditch (following the seam lines exactly) or you can stitch on the diagonal (making the quilt stitches from one corner to the opposite corner) or you can stitch 1/4-inch from all the seam lines. If you want to hand quilt it, there are some tutorials out there that can really help.
I'm running a bit behind and have to head off to work but I know others will post and give you great advice! Good luck with it and if you feel you cannot do it, perhaps someone nearby who quilts would be willing to finish it for you.
12-14-2009, 12:23 PM
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lexington, OK
Posts: 729
I think it's quilting. Do you have any of her other quilts to compare it to? You just run stitches 1/4" from all the seams. Sometimes there are several stitches per inch and sometimes just a few. It depends on the quilters experience. It's such a labor of love! Your Mom will be thrilled I'm sure!
12-14-2009, 12:29 PM
#4
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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Thank you so much for your quick reply!
I'm not sure whether I want to hand or machine finish. I know that she used to machine to piece it together, but I'm wondering if she maybe would've hand-quilted it. I think I'll mull it over a bit.
I'm very excited to get some help, I'm sure with everyone's input and advice I'll be able to do justice to my great-grandmother's name.
I'm not sure whether I want to hand or machine finish. I know that she used to machine to piece it together, but I'm wondering if she maybe would've hand-quilted it. I think I'll mull it over a bit.
I'm very excited to get some help, I'm sure with everyone's input and advice I'll be able to do justice to my great-grandmother's name.
12-14-2009, 12:32 PM
#5
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Unfortunately, no, I don't have any of her quilts for comparison. She made me a crocheted blanket when I was young, but never a quilt. So we have one vote quilting, one vote basting. Would it help to take more pictures? maybe with a ruler?
12-14-2009, 12:41 PM
#6
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it looks like she was going to hand quilt it and those are her quilting stitches. just finish going along as she did with the same looking stitches and you'll have a lovely quilt. you can go across and then down, doing 1/4 away from all the seams. or just around the print blocks and do something else in the plain ones.
binding, you can pick a color from within the quilt or match the plain squares. good luck. when you get to the binding,come back for more help if necessary. great find!
binding, you can pick a color from within the quilt or match the plain squares. good luck. when you get to the binding,come back for more help if necessary. great find!
12-14-2009, 01:20 PM
#7
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I think you could tell if they are basting stitches or quilting stitches by looking carefully at the stitches.
Can you see any knots in the thread? If there are big knots and/or long tails that are not buried in the quilt sandwich, these are probably basting stitches. If you can't find any beginnings, they are probably quilting stitches.
Also, try measuring to see how many stitches per inch there are, and post that here. In the photo the stitches look too small for basting but quite large for quilting. However, if this was the first time your grandmother was trying to hand quilt, it's quite possible the stitches would be that big.
Are all of the stitches made with a single thread?
Is the stitching all across the quilt in a pattern -- say every 6 inches apart? If so, that is typical of basting. Sometimes basting is in a grid, sometimes it radiates out from the center of the quilt.
Was the quilt in the hoop when you found it? It is not typical to baste a quilt in a hoop; hoops are typically used to hand quilt.
Look at the underside of the quilt too. Is it neat-looking? Are there any long stitches (toe catchers) there? Larger stitches would be more like to be basting. Neat and even stitches are more likely to be quilting.
I think it would be most appropriate to hand quilt this because it is pretty clear that was your grandmother's intention. If she had wanted to machine quilt, she would have pin-basted.
OH!!! I just re-read your post and see that you mentioned that the quilt is all pinned together. In that case, the quilt has been pin-basted. Most likely the stitches are your grandmother's first attempt at hand quilting. It would certainly be in keeping with her spirit to continue hand quilting it, especially since it would be your first attempt at hand quilting too. I would just keep the stitches similar in size and spacing to your grandmother's.
For hand quilting, you do typically start in the center and work out. Outlining each square would be good. If there is a border, that would need to be quilted also. How big are the squares? If the squares are large, you may need to add quilting to keep the batting from shifting -- easiest would be a big X, but you could also do a flower or other design.
Don't worry about binding until you get the quilting done. There are Youtube videos on how to bind a quilt that are very good.
Can you see any knots in the thread? If there are big knots and/or long tails that are not buried in the quilt sandwich, these are probably basting stitches. If you can't find any beginnings, they are probably quilting stitches.
Also, try measuring to see how many stitches per inch there are, and post that here. In the photo the stitches look too small for basting but quite large for quilting. However, if this was the first time your grandmother was trying to hand quilt, it's quite possible the stitches would be that big.
Are all of the stitches made with a single thread?
Is the stitching all across the quilt in a pattern -- say every 6 inches apart? If so, that is typical of basting. Sometimes basting is in a grid, sometimes it radiates out from the center of the quilt.
Was the quilt in the hoop when you found it? It is not typical to baste a quilt in a hoop; hoops are typically used to hand quilt.
Look at the underside of the quilt too. Is it neat-looking? Are there any long stitches (toe catchers) there? Larger stitches would be more like to be basting. Neat and even stitches are more likely to be quilting.
I think it would be most appropriate to hand quilt this because it is pretty clear that was your grandmother's intention. If she had wanted to machine quilt, she would have pin-basted.
OH!!! I just re-read your post and see that you mentioned that the quilt is all pinned together. In that case, the quilt has been pin-basted. Most likely the stitches are your grandmother's first attempt at hand quilting. It would certainly be in keeping with her spirit to continue hand quilting it, especially since it would be your first attempt at hand quilting too. I would just keep the stitches similar in size and spacing to your grandmother's.
For hand quilting, you do typically start in the center and work out. Outlining each square would be good. If there is a border, that would need to be quilted also. How big are the squares? If the squares are large, you may need to add quilting to keep the batting from shifting -- easiest would be a big X, but you could also do a flower or other design.
Don't worry about binding until you get the quilting done. There are Youtube videos on how to bind a quilt that are very good.
12-14-2009, 01:52 PM
#8
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I had to take the quilt out of the hoop, but I was able to find the beginning of her stitching (she had only finished about 10 inches of stitching) and I found a very small, hidden knot yet a tail of thread about an inch long. What a confusing lady she was being! Also, she does have pins around all four edges as well as spaced about a foot apart in the quilt.
The stitches stay pretty consistant at 4 per inch.
Is it possible a combination of her age (maybe some arthritis or eye problems?) and the fact she was making them as charity (needing to be quick) that might explain the rather sparse stitching?
The quilt was in the hoop when we found it
The stitches are precisely the same underneath as they are on top
She appears to be going lengthwise 1/4 in from the horizontal seam lines, going over both the colored and plain blocks.
The stitches stay pretty consistant at 4 per inch.
Is it possible a combination of her age (maybe some arthritis or eye problems?) and the fact she was making them as charity (needing to be quick) that might explain the rather sparse stitching?
The quilt was in the hoop when we found it
The stitches are precisely the same underneath as they are on top
She appears to be going lengthwise 1/4 in from the horizontal seam lines, going over both the colored and plain blocks.
12-14-2009, 01:59 PM
#9
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 6
Oh, I just saw the rest of your post :) The rectangles are 3" x 5.5"
I am very excited to try hand quilting and work on this "collaborative project" with my great-grandmother.
I think if I need to do quilting inside the blocks, either a four-leaf clover (she was a renowned clover-finder. She could walk down a street and have a handful in minutes) or a honeybee (she made her own honey) or possibly her initials or a combination of all three.
I am very excited to try hand quilting and work on this "collaborative project" with my great-grandmother.
I think if I need to do quilting inside the blocks, either a four-leaf clover (she was a renowned clover-finder. She could walk down a street and have a handful in minutes) or a honeybee (she made her own honey) or possibly her initials or a combination of all three.
12-14-2009, 02:01 PM
#10
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i also believe she had started to hand quilt it. i can't imagine she would have pinned it (which is, itself, a method of basting) AND put it into a hoop with the intent of adding thread basting.
on a basic design such as that, larger quilting stitches look quite appropriate and will be lovely. she was most likely planning to bury that little knot and tail later on.
i would continue the quilting as she started.
she loved you dearly, i'm sure. she would want you to enjoy the process of finishing her last project. she wouldn't want you to worry or take on more than your current skill can handle.
on a basic design such as that, larger quilting stitches look quite appropriate and will be lovely. she was most likely planning to bury that little knot and tail later on.
i would continue the quilting as she started.
she loved you dearly, i'm sure. she would want you to enjoy the process of finishing her last project. she wouldn't want you to worry or take on more than your current skill can handle.
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